Tricks and Riddles
Tricks and Riddles is the fourth episode of the second season of Pokémon Tales: Violet. It aired 12/6/2019. Story Violet, Eevee, Hazel, Flabébé and Sorrel walk through the crowded streets of Cinnabar Island. Hazel keeps a hand on Flabébé while Violet carries Eevee. They make their way to the Pokémon Center and make it to the desk. Nurse Joy: Hello! How can I help you? Sorrel: Hi, we’re looking for a couple rooms to spend the night. Joy: I’m sorry but our center is at max capacity. (Spots Eevee) Are any of you planning to challenge the gym leader? Violet: I do. What does that have anything to do with searching for a room? Joy: The gym leader Blaine runs a hotel. (Joy hands them a business card) Solve the riddle on the back of the card and you’ll find it. Violet: Thank you. The group leaves the Pokémon Center as Hazel swipes the card. Hazel: “Out by the swing, you may see me. Or at least, my face and hand.” What load of baloney is that?! Violet: A riddle. One that we have to interpret. Let us look for a swing. Violet leads the charge, Hazel and Sorrel following after her. A girl wearing a purple sunhat and black round sunglasses on her face peeks up after them, snickering. It is late at night, Violet vigorously searching for the swing. Hazel and Sorrel drag behind, barely keeping to their feet. Hazel: (Grumpy) Enough! Violet let’s rest! Sorrel: (Exhausted) We haven’t rested since we left the Pokémon Center. Violet: We need a hotel room. If we don’t solve the riddle then we don’t get the hotel room. Hazel: Too tired to argue. Violet: I found the swing. Hazel and Sorrel look up, as they spot a bench beside a swing set. The two go over and collapse on the bench while Violet inspects the swing. Violet: There is no face over here. Or a hand. Sorrel: (Points aimlessly) Riddles are not supposed to be logical. The face and hand most likely means a clock or something. Violet surveys the area as she spots a clock in the distance. Violet: There. Violet heads in that direction, Hazel and Sorrel groaning as they follow. They arrive at the hotel as the two collapse on the couches in the lobby. Violet rings the bell at the front desk, as Blaine enters the room. Blaine: Hello there. Gym challengers? Violet: I am, yes. Blaine: Then welcome. I am Blaine, gym leader and owner of the hotel. How many rooms do you need? Violet: Two. The door opens, as the girl with the sun hat and sunglasses comes in. She takes them off, revealing it to be Lila. Lila: Ha! Finally made it! Your little hotel, (observing) no matter how quaint and run down it looks, was impossible to find! Blaine: Ah, two challengers in one evening! What are your names, young ladies? Violet: (Curtsies) Violet Evergarden. Lila: (Snarky) And who are you supposed to be? Blaine: We’ll save the introduction for later then. I shall arrange for three rooms then. But before that a riddle for you. Lila: Oh like I care! Room please. Blaine: I think you’ll want to know this. It’s how you find the gym. “Inside the fire lies a cavern for the brave. A secret passage from the island’s desire.” Be sure to enjoy the hot springs as well. End Scene The next day Violet and Hazel leave the girl’s changing room to the hot spring by the base of the volcano. Sorrel comes out of the boy’s changing room. The hot spring is separated by a large log fence to obscure the sides. Sorrel: Ooh. Uh Violet. I would suggest staying mostly out of the water. The water proof wax will melt with the heat of the hot springs. Violet: I understand. Hazel: Aw! That’s such a bummer! Lila: Though convenient for me! Lila comes out of the girl’s changing room in her bikini. Lila: Means I have one less loser to share the water with. Hazel: Ugh. I am getting tired of your condescending attitude. Lila: Yeah, yeah sure. (Looks distasteful at Sorrel.) Make sure your little boy toy doesn’t peek. Sorrel: What?! (Blush bright red) No I would never! Lila, Violet and Hazel head to the women’s side while Sorrel goes over to the men’s side. Sorrel: Hm? “Inside the fire lies a cavern for the brave. A secret passage from the island’s desire.” What does that mean? The fire, most likely means (looks away) the volcano. They would have chambers carved by lava. The island’s desire? Lila: (From other side) Quit muttering over there, creep! Hazel: (From other side) Don’t listen to her Sorrel! What are you thinking?! Sorrel: Why do people come to this island?! What’s the desire? Violet: (From other side) Gym battles. Hazel: (From other side) The tourist traps? Lila: (From other side) Obviously the hot springs! Sorrel: So Blaine intentionally led us to this hot spring. See if there’s a hidden mechanism on that side! The entrance to the gym is somewhere in here! Violet is out of the spring and examines the area, Hazel and Lila watching. Lila: Oh give it up Viola! There’s nothing there! Hazel: Her name is Violet. And she’s a whiz at finding obscure details. Violet: I do not need to take a whiz. Hazel: Huh? Oh not what I! Lila bursts into laughter, as Violet presses down on the hot spring faucet. The terrain shakes as a doorway opens in the volcano wall. Everyone is silent as they stand to look at it. Hazel: Holy, Sorrel! Get dressed! Violet, back to the changing room! Hazel and Violet take off in a dash, Lila remaining in place. She snickers as she casually climbs out of the hot spring and pulls out a hidden backpack. Violet, Hazel and Sorrel are all fully dressed as they travel the cave path into the volcano. They make it to an in-volcano battle field, where Lila and Gyarados are battling Blaine and his Arcanine. Hazel: That little Sandshrew! She used us to find the gym first! Violet: Where did she get dressed if she didn’t go to the changing room? Lila: Gyarados use Dark Pulse! Gyarados fires a blast of dark energy orbs at Arcanine. Blaine: Arcanine, use Snarl! Arcanine howls as it fires a black energy ball that counters the attack. Lila: Ha! That’s nothing! Wait till I use a Water attack to finish you off! Blaine: I look forward to it. Whenever you’re ready. Lila looks concerned as she gets it together. Lila: Okay then! Agility to Punishment! Gyarados speeds across the field as it glows black. It rams Arcanine, it skidding back. Blaine: A shame. I was actually interested in seeing what you’d do with a Gyarados. Arcanine, Extreme Speed to Flare Blitz. Arcanine speeds and rams Gyarados in the head, it flashing purple as Zorua is blown into the air. Arcanine leaps and is enveloped in powerful flames as it rams Zorua. Zorua hits the field defeated. Blaine: Zorua is unable to battle. Did you think that a cheap trick like that would work? Lila returns Zorua, her face giving her away. Lila: Okay then. Litwick! Lila throws her Pokéball, choosing Litwick. Litwick: Litwick. Blaine: A Fire type! Interesting. I assume its ability is Flash Fire. Use Flare Blitz! Arcanine speeds forward and rams Litwick with Flare Blitz, Litwick’s body absorbing all the flames. Lila: (Overly confident) Ha! Now our Fire type attacks are powered up! Litwick use Inferno! The flame on Litwick’s head grows and shoots a blue stream of fire. Arcanine is hit by the Inferno, absorbing the flames. Lila’s face turns to horror. Lila: Uh, oh. Blaine: Too bad you had no other plan with this Pokémon. Arcanine, Snarl. Arcanine fires a blast from Snarl, hitting and defeating Litwick. Blaine: Litwick is unable to battle. Choose your final Pokémon. Lila looks disgusted as she returns Litwick and chooses Drowzee. Drowzee: Drowzee. Blaine: What a pity. You are not nearly the challenge I had hoped for. Arcanine use Extreme Speed. Lila: Drowzee use Hypnosis! Drowzee waves its arms in circles, releasing Hypnotic waves that Arcanine runs through. Arcanine yawns as it lies down asleep. Lila: And Dream Eater! Drowzee opens its mouth, a large specter spirit coming out and surrounding Arcanine’s head. Black shimmering energy comes from Arcanine and goes to Drowzee. The attack continues for a moment, then ends. Blaine returns Arcanine. Blaine: Well done. I didn’t think you’d beat one of my Pokémon. Turtonator. Blaine opens a Pokéball, choosing Turtonator. Turtonator: Nator! Lila: Ha! Another easy target! Drowzee use Hypnosis! Blaine: Flame Charge. Turtonator stomps the ground as it is enveloped in flames, charging forward. Drowzee fires Hypnosis waves as Turtonator speeds around them. Turtounator appears behind Drowzee. Blaine: Dragon Pulse. Turtonator turns its head and breathes a stream of dragon energy, erupting on Drowzee. Drowzee lies defeated. Blaine: And that’s it. Lila returns Drowzee as Blaine returns Turtonator. Blaine goes around and meets with Lila. Blaine: I didn’t hold back. You are currently no match for my level of skill. Lila: (Sweetly) Oh wow! To think I did so well when you were at full strength! I think that would warrant a badge for me don’t you think? Blaine: Ha! Not bad. But I am way too old to fall for that from one as young as you. Blaine looks over and sees Violet’s group watching. He strokes his chin. Blaine: Though I am more than willing to make a wager with you. Blaine leads Lila over to the others. Blaine: Violet Evergarden. You are here because you solved my riddle and are looking for a gym battle. Violet: I am here for a battle, but I did not solve the riddle. It was Sorrel here. Blaine: Ah! Fascinating. Out of all the bright young women here it was this young man who solved it. Lila: (Scoffs) Excuse me?! I solved the riddle and made it here long before they did. Blaine: After watching you battle, you rely on trickery. I doubt that you were the one to solve it. Lila: Rude! Blaine: Here is what I propose. After my Pokémon are healed, I shall have my battle with Violet this evening. The trainer who has obtained the most victories against me will earn the badge. If Violet beats at least two of my Pokémon, she gets the badge. If she beats none of my Pokémon, Lila obtains it. Hazel: What?! That is no way— Blaine: And if Violet defeats one of my Pokémon, the same as Lila, then neither of them earn the badge. Is that better? Hazel: I suppose. Violet: It will be my pleasure to battle with you. Blaine: Excellent. We shall meet in the evening then. Main Events * The group arrives at Cinnabar Island. * Lila loses her gym battle to Blaine. * Violet officially challenges Blaine. Characters * Lila * Violet Evergarden * Hazel * Sorrel * Blaine * Nurse Joy Pokémon * Zorua (Lila's) * Litwick (Lila's) * Drowzee (Lila's) * Eevee (Violet's) * Flabébé (Hazel's) * Arcanine (Blaine's) * Turtonator (Blaine's) Trivia * Nurse Joy actively filters challengers to the gym to Blaine's Hotel, giving out the riddle cards. * Sorrel solving the riddle is a node to how he's the Conway of the group, and he solved the riddle previously. * Lila shows the true extent of her tricky and manipulative personality by tricking Violet into finding the gym first. ** Her team also resolves around trickery. * Blaine making a wager for Lila over Violet's badge marks the first time that a gym badge is wagered in a way outside of a trainer's battle. Category:Episodes Category:Pokémon Tales Category:Pokémon Tales: Violet Category:Pokémon Tales: Gym Leader battles